WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomores' Colin Mahoney (Plainville, Mass.) and Ali Warsame (Chelsea, Mass.) both won individual events as the Owls placed second in the season-opening indoor meet at the Springfield College Invitational from Springfield, Mass. on Saturday afternoon.
The Owls recorded 155.5 points to finish second on the afternoon, distancing themselves from third-place Rhode Island College (73). Springfield College secured first place overall, compiling 214.5 points.
Mahoney led the field in the 600-meter run, crossing the tape in 1:29.51 to fend off Matthew Waruch of Saint Rose who finished tenths of a second behind Mahoney.
Warsame topped the list at the triple jump, leaping a distance of 13.01m to wrap up the field events on the afternoon for the Owls. He also collected a sixth-place mark in the long jump at a distance of 6.21m.
Joining Mahoney in the 600 meter were Rowan Gottshall (West Simsbury, Mass.), Scott Porter (Boylston, Mass.) and Elijah Pagan (West Springfield, Mass.) who all finished within the top six runners in the event with Gottshall placing fourth (1:30.79), Porter fifth (1:32.91), and Pagan sixth (1:34.05).
The Owls dominated in the distance running events with a quartet of Owls finishing in succession in the 3000 beginning with Abdi Nassir (New Braintree, Mass.) in second at 9:55.11, Jarrod Ledvina (Fairhaven, Mass.), in third (9:57.80), Tyler Meunier fourth (10:03.85), and Dan Botte (Norfolk, Mass.) fifth (10:05.12).
In the mile run, John Nekitopoulos (West Springfield, Mass.) was the first Owls athlete to cross the tape with a time of 4:49.81. Lorcan Bergeron (Medway, Mass.) was next to finish in fourth (4:53.02) followed by Nassir in sixth (4:54.61).
Gordon Johnson (Hanson, Mass.) added a third-place tally in the 1000 meter run as well, posting a time of 2:45.37.
JJ Tauscher (Easthampton, Mass.) steadied the Owls attack in the short distance events, placing second in the 400 meter at a time of 52.92. He also added a sixth-place mark in a deep 200-meter dash field, completing a lap around the oval track in 23.70.
Johnny Ware (Wilmington, Mass.) chipped in with a fourth-place mark (10.04) at the 60-meter hurdles event.
In the field events, the Owls delivered a balanced scoring effort in the shot put, with Dylan Clark (Bellows Falls, Vt.), Connor Daley (West Springfield, Mass.), and Vincent Cirillo (Chicopee, Mass.) all placing within the top four spots in the event. Clark led the trio with a second-place toss of 12.46m while also topping the chart for the Owls in the weight throw, finishing fourth (13.68m).
Colby Ranck (Chicopee, Mass.) joined Warsame within the top four competitors in the triple jump, leaping a distance of 12.66m. Brogan Madden (Northborough, Mass.) recorded third place in the high jump (1.80m).
Westfield State will participate in the Pioneer Winter Classic on Saturday, December 9 for their next meet.